The IUP exhibition game was notable since former Pitt assistant Pat Lombardi took less money and less prestige, but a slightly less stressful lifestyle to be the IUP head coach. Lombardi was one of Pitt’s effective recruiters in the Eastern part of the state and Maryland/DC/Virginia.

“I spent a lot of time coaching those players, so it’s going to be kind of neat to come back and watch them,” Lombardi said. “I’ve always looked at recruiting as a team effort. With a lot of these kids, it’s how they develop. My job is to identify the players. But we wouldn’t have gotten them without Jamie Dixon, Barry Rohrssen or Orlando Antigua or Pat Sandle. I take pride in those kids that are over there. But Gilbert wouldn’t be playing as well as he is this year if it wasn’t for the people who are on the staff now. It’s great how they’ve developed.”

Off a recommendation from Lombardi Pitt was the first major Division I school to offer Young a scholarship in 2004. That worked to Pitt’s advantage when Young became better known in recruiting circles and received offers from Georgetown and Maryland, two schools closer to his Maryland home. Young had an affinity for Lombardi and Pitt because they were the first to identify him, and he rewarded them by signing with Pitt.

Brown was a consensus top 100 recruit, and Lombardi, through his Philadelphia connections, got the inside track on Cook after he decided to transfer from East Carolina.

And for that service, Pitt beat on IUP to the score of 83-31. Sam Young led it against the guy who recruited him.

Young had a game-high 16 points and Blair had 12 points and 12 rebounds. The other Pitt player in double figures was reserve power forward Tyrell Biggs with 10 points. The question mark about the front line will remain until Pitt plays more serious competition, but their performances in the two exhibition games is a positive sign for coach Jamie Dixon as the Panthers get ready for the season opener Friday against Houston Baptist.

Young and Blair led the Panthers in scoring in the two exhibition games with 16.5 and 11 points a game, respectively.

“I feel like we’re ready to go,” Young said. “We have a lot of young but experienced players. I feel like we’re ready to take off and do a lot of big things, a lot of unexpected things.”

Not worried too much about the frontline’s offense. Watching them develop on defense will be the bigger issue.

Bradley Wanamaker looks like he will be a welcome defensive stopper off the bench in the backcourt. Zero turnovers again, and 4 steals and 5 assists. His scoring touch isn’t there, but that isn’t a surprise. When he was recruited/committed it was about his grittiness, defense and potential. The offense will take time, but I think we could use some extra toughness on defense. Especially off of the bench.